Ending Domestic Violence

The ISAIAH Domestic Violence Task Force began at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in St. Paul.  Everyone who gathered around that first table brought “passion in the gut” to the issue of domestic violence prevention:

·     a pediatrician who saw the effects of domestic violence on her patients;

·     a college professor of nursing who saw how it influenced and changed her students;

·     an assistant attorney general who recognized domestic violence as a human rights issue;

·     a family law attorney who saw how domestic violence decimated the lives and future happiness of persons appearing in family court;

·     a county child protection worker who worked to put pieces together after domestic violence wrecked a family;

·     plus many survivors whose lives had been forever altered by their childhood or adult experience as a victim of domestic violence.

The mission of the Task Force was then and remains today: to break the silence surrounding domestic violence – in the pews and, ultimately, in the community. The Task Force believes strongly that:

Only when the community insists that it will not tolerate in the home behavior that it would not tolerate on the street will interveners acting on behalf of the community keep victims and children safe and hold offenders accountable. And only then can all people live in safety, with dignity and power—only then can they fulfill their own promise, and participate fully in the promise of our faith and our democracy.

The Task Force acts on those beliefs, working with others to shape a public response to domestic violence and break the silence in our public institutions:

·     The Task Force and partners obtained a grant for a Domestic Violence Safety and Accountability Audit of St. Paul’s criminal justice response to domestic violence.

·     With others, the Task Force worked to insure that the process of selecting a new St. Paul police chief was transparent and accessible to the community and that the candidates for chief approved of the Safety and Accountability Audit.

·     In 2005, the Task Force and its partners persuaded legislators to restore to battered women’s advocacy programs all and to shelters one-third of the state funding cut in 2003.

Still the headlines shout: “Domestic violence claims 2^nd victim in as many days;”[1] “Husband charged in killing of wife;”[2] “Man charged in ex-wife’s slaying;”[3] “Boyfriend strangled woman, charges say;”[4] “He moves in, then he kills.”[5]

Minnesota can do better.  The Task Force has a vision – a vision transforming attitudes, families, communities and Minnesota from isolation, fear and the notion of scarcity to community, hope and shared abundance:

Attitudes will be transformed when. . .

·     Our communities understand that there exists an abundance of dignity and power for every man, woman and child;

·     Our communities, recognizing that domestic violence is a public problem affecting all citizens, end the silence surrounding domestic violence.

Families will be transformed when. . .

·     Every person is free from fear, including children who witness violence between their parents.

·     Every person accepts responsibility for his/her own behavior and is held accountable for that behavior by the community.

·     Places of worship preach clearly and specifically against violence in the home and get involved in community initiatives to end it.

Communities will be transformed when. . .

·     Hope replaces fear because programs for children who witness violence, along with advocacy programs and shelters for domestic violence victims are fully funded.

·     All systems that interact with families, including schools, health care, police, fire safety, church staff are well trained, well informed and knowledgeable about how to respond appropriately.

·     Neighborhood programs provide outreach, resources, and alternatives to families at risk of violence.

·     Every community has a publicly funded WATCH program.

Minnesota will be transformed when. . .

·     There is a statewide coordinated response to domestic violence.

·     Minnesota courts consistently enforce anti-violence laws.

·     Minnesota invests in a state office to address domestic violence that has authority to disburse state and federal anti-violence dollars.

·     Every man, woman, and child involved in either the civil or criminal justice system has a competent, trained, evaluated and funded advocate.

·     All Minnesotans can live safe from domestic violence, in dignity and power.

As a first step, the Task Force will seek the following from the 2007 Minnesota Legislature:

·     Shared abundance that provides full and adequate investment in shelters and advocacy programs.

·     Hope resulting from additional investment in the restoration, improvement and/or establishment of services within those programs for children who witness violence in the home.

St. Paul Caucus Victory: City of St. Paul Domestic Violence Audit receives funding

GRIP Launches “No More Band-Aids” Campaign

Legislative Session 2005 Results